Voodoo Stripes
by ihkny
Summary: In which things gets a little more complicated for Sakura when a new man enters her life.
1. hangovers

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did Sasuke would be dead and Sakura would be part of the Akatsuki.

Note: If you haven't read the chapter Closer in "Beside You in Time", you should go read it; this is the sequel for it.

_'Italics'_ are flashbacks/Inner-Sakura's thoughts or persons on the other end of phones, and lyrics (haha).

**_'Bold Italics'_** are thoughts in flashbacks.

* * *

"Sakura has a hangover."

_"…who are you?"_

_"I am God."_

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

_"Oh God...!" _

_Sheets clenched in pale, slender fingers with nails polished in the color mint. A larger, masculine hand curled over the smaller one, untangling them from the crimson satin before entwining with the slighter digits. _

_"Come for me, tenshi." Her breath hitched at the silky purr; back arching, chest pressing flush against the toned abdomen of her lover, hot metal burning into her skin adding to the pleasure coursing through her body as she came undone. A low growl sounded next to her ear as the slim male above continued to thrust into her tightening body; emerald locked with grey as nails raked across the male's shoulder leaving angry red trails in their wake. _

_"Please…" She wasn't quite sure what she was asking for, but all thought flew from her mind as he kissed her, his tongue sliding over her full bottom lip before nipping it lightly, seeking entrance. The slick muscle darted into her mouth, savoring the intoxicating flavor of vodka and mangos._

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

A groan of pain sounded beneath the crimson sheets located atop a massive black framed bed; a pale hand slid over the mattress to rub at an aching forehead buried into a fluffy pillow positioned beneath a mass of unruly rosette locks. The hand paused and the form shot up suddenly, releasing a whimper of pain as the world spun and the throbbing in her head magnified tenfold.

'Oh, my head…' Sakura willed the nausea down, slowly opening beryl eyes to take in her surroundings.

"Where the hell am I?" She murmured aloud; to her left large bay windows, leading to a balcony – she was rather high up if being able to see over the vast city was any indication – took up an entire wall. The wall adjacent to the windows had two thick wooden doors and situated between them an oak dresser six drawers high with rustic-bronze knobs for handles stood. To her right, on a desk made of a steel metal frame and glass toppings and shelves, a laptop sat open displaying a screensaver of black with a single red cloud outlined in white bumping the edges of the monitor as it moved. Sakura noted that the two bedside tables made of the same components as the desk were just as stylish. The floor was a rich amber in a herringbone pattern that the doors of the room matched in color – and her clothing was strewn haphazardly across the floor and over objects, drawing her to the realization she was naked and most definitely not in her own home. Fragments of last night's activities flashed through her mind and the sound of running water reached her sensitive ears.

"Oh, fuck me…" She breathed, staring at the door leading presumably to the bathroom before launching herself from the bed.

'_He already did that and it was hella good!_' Her inner squealed, cackling wickedly.

She fell to the floor in a heap of blankets, belatedly noticing she was entangled in the sheets, and furiously began to work her way out of the conspiring inanimate cloth. She had to get out of here - and quick - before he finished showering and she had to deal with an awkward situation. Her temples pounded mercilessly as she gathered her clothing; she slipped her halter on hastily and began the hunt for her panties – her pants were over the back of his leather computer chair, so they didn't need finding. She froze as the shower shut off, her eyes widening.

'Mother f…' She cursed in her mind as she pulled her pants on, grabbed her shoes and purse, and high-tailed it out of the room.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

'_Holy! He's kind of a big deal, isn't he?!_' Sakura had to agree with her inner as she passed a glimpse around the spacious apartment over the banister. However, she had no time to stop and gawk at the well-furnished living area – she needed to get out of here before he left that bathroom and noticed she was no longer there.

'Pfft, as if he wanted me to stay.' She thought derogatively while descending the stairs and heading towards the front door to make a swift exit. She came to an abrupt halt outside the entryway to glance around the small lobby area; there was only one other door located on the floor and it was directly across from where she stood now. Situated on the wall parallel to the window separating the two apartments two elevators waited idly.

'_What the mess?! They have two elevators for just this floor?!_' Sakura winced at the shriek of her other half and stumbled towards the elevators; pressing the button indicating down. The metallic doors opened instantly with a small ding. She examined the inside as she stepped within the confines of the metal box and pressed the button for the lobby floor; mirrors lined the walls on three sides and a metal bar cut through the center of the reflective surfaces.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

_Fingers gliding through long pink tresses tugged lightly to pull her head back against the mirror as her long legs wrapped around a narrow waist. A soft moan echoed in the air as a hot mouth attacked the porcelain skin of her neck and hips ground against the clothed apex of her thighs; her arms locked around his shoulders as her fingers wove into messy orange locks. A hand worked at the zipper of her pants; a gasp of surprise escaping kiss-swollen lips as long fingers delved below the band of her panties and over the soft flesh beneath._

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

A bright flush travelled up the column of her neck to stain ivory cheeks rouge as the memory flashed before her eyes. '_You think there's a surveillance camera in here? I want a copy!_' Sakura could only pray there wasn't as she turned to examine herself in the mirror and did the best she could to fix the tangled locks on her head so that they were somewhat presentable from their bed head appearance before slipping the shoes in her hand onto bare feet. She leaned back against the wall, letting her eyes slip shut while she attempted to will the ache in her head to stop as she released a deep sigh; the bell dinged when the elevator arrived on the ground level and the doors opened with a metallic _shing_. She stepped out into the spacious, high ceilinged lobby with its large crystalline chandelier, black marble floors, and tall ionic columns strategically placed around the vicinity in awe. Wide beryl orbs grazed over the expensive establishment, coming to a stop at the receptionist's desk; above the two women working the counter was _The Rin'Negan_ in silver script.

'_The Rin'Negan_!? I'm inside _The Rin'Negan_?! Who the hell did I sleep with last night?!' Sakura wondered in astonishment wincing as the headache spiked; she pushed the revolving doors to the outside world forward and hailed a cab. One of the yellow cars halted immediately for her and she quickly climbed inside with a request to be taken to Hidden Leaf Hospital. With a nod from the driver Sakura turned her attention to the little black bag in her lap and began to rummage through it for her cell. She winced at the number of missed calls – she conveniently overlooked the hospital pages she'd most likely received at being late to work – and began to listen to her messages.

'_Haruno Sakura, you may be my most beloved apprentice, but you're LATE! You'd better be here within the next twenty minutes or I'll have your head and your interns if they don't stop **bothering **me._' Sakura winced as her mentor and boss' loud and irritated voice roared through the phone into her ear.

'_Sakura-san, I don't mean to bother you, but Tsunade-sama has been trying to reach you for the last two hours. I hope you are all right and will return my call when you get the chance._' Uchiha Hinata's voice was the second to play out; Sakura skipped to the next message as she pondered over why Hinata still called her –san, and listened as Ino's voice sounded from the speaker of her cell.

'_Yo, Forehead! Where the hells are you?! Tsunade's going to have a bitch fit when she notices you're late! You'll have to tell me all about him when we have lunch. Oh yes, I know you must have had a hot, steamy night if you aren't on time for work! Haha!_' The pinkette groaned in despair.

'_Sakura, dear, are you all right? I got a call from Naruto this morning asking if I'd heard from you. He sounded hysterical, but knowing that boy he's just over reacting. Anyway, just give me a call back so I know that I have nothing to worry about. Love you sweetie, bye!_'

'I'm going to KILL HIM!' Sakura seethed, eyes narrowed - how could he have called her mother – 'That dipshit!'

'_SAKURA-CHYAAAAAN! Are you all right?! I can't believe you just left with that guy! Oh my god! You're not dead are you?! SAKURA-CHYAAAAAN! You can't be dead! Pick up your phone! She's de –'_ Here Naruto's voice was abruptly cut off as Gaara began to speak.

'_Sakura, call us when you receive this message. Be careful._' If there had been something she could bash her head against – she would have done so ten times over already. While Tsunade and her job may have been the most important matter, calming down that idiot of a best friend she had was top priority; she really did not want to put up with his loud ass so early in the morning and with a hangover no less, but she knew she had to. With a deep sigh, she began to dial the numbers that would link her to Naruto's cell.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

_'My dick- been there done that  
Your dick sits there with dunce cap  
My dick- V.I.P.  
Your shit needs I.D.'_

Naruto mumbled incoherently as he pressed the navy blue down pillow more firmly against his face to drown out the sound interrupting his wonderful sleep. He more felt the rumble of the body pressed against his back than heard the growl as Gaara stretched over him reaching for the offending object.

"It's Sakura." The gravelly, sleep-filled voice of the redhead murmured. The blonde shot up in an instant, snatching the phone from his lover's hand to answer.

"SAKURA-CHAN! You're alive! Thank God! We were so worried! I kept thinking we should have stopped you! That guy could have raped you, and then chopped your body to pieces, or kept you hostage and never let you eat ramen again!"

'_Shut up, Naruto. I have a killer headache and I'm only calling to tell you I'm perfectly fine. You think maybe next time you could... Oh, I don't know... Not involve my mother, you imbecile! Seriously. What's wrong with you? I'm going to hurt you next time I see you._' Sakura ranted from the other end; Naruto pulled the phone from his ear with a grimace.

"Sakura-chan, I was just worried about you, ya know?!" The male whined into the receiver, pouting even though he knew she could not see it; a smirking Gaara shook his head and slid from the bed, heading for the bathroom.

'_I have to go Naruto; I need to call my mom before I get to the hospital. Tell Gaara I said good morning and I love you both. See you.'_

"Have a good day, Sakura-chan! We love you, too." Naruto flopped back into the bed and snuggled under the covers after tossing the phone onto the nightstand. Sleep - he needed more sleep.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as her mother's answering machine picked up. She left a quick message assuring the older woman that she was fine and healthy, and that she'd call her back later before hanging up as the cab pulled before the looming white concrete and glass architecture that made up Hidden Leaf Hospital.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Sakura slipped out of the locker room in the standard doctor's attire - white lab coat, sea-foam green scrubs and sneakers - and promptly ran into Tsunade and Shizune. The rosette froze, pen poised in her hand as she pulled it from her coat pocket.

"You're late. I don't care where you've been. We've got an emergency surgery and we need you." Sakura nodded as Shizune handed her the patient's chart and they moved briskly down the hall to the stairs and up to O.R. 3.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

The outside courtyard for hospital personnel to enjoy their meals was a much nicer place to eat than the cafeteria. It was furnished with various patio dining sets that patrons could eat at and vending carts with an array of drinks and snacks. The sun was high in the sky and clouds drifted slowly by. Three arduous hours later found Sakura slumping into a chair across from a leggy platinum blonde with brilliant sky blue eyes that sparkled mischievously as they recognized the figure before them.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. You look like shit." Sakura glared and began working on her first meal of the day – she was starving.

"I feel like shit, I don't know how Tsunade does it." The blonde laughed, not unkindly, before responding.

"She's been doing it for years; she's probably built up some freakish immunity to hangovers by now. So…Spill." Sakura grunted in annoyance before recounting the details of her romp with a complete stranger; both on the dance floor and off.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"So what you're telling me is… you're an exhibitionist?"

"Hell no, pig! I was drunk." A snort sounded across the table. Sakura scowled at her best-female friend in frustration.

"Forehead, I don't see what you're being so defensive for. It's about time you let someone into your pants again. I'd let the world know if I was having wild hot monkey sex with a deliciously mysterious exotic male. I think I'm kind of jealous." A wink was sent her way, but Sakura was far from amused and simply gave the woman a blank look.

"Did you get any information from Mr. Dance-floor-dry-hump before you ran off at least? A name? Phone number? E-mail?" Ino prodded raising finely tweezed brows suggestively.

"Ino! Don't be so loud! I, unlike you, don't want everyone knowing my personal life." Sakura squeaked in horror, casting a quick glance around the vicinity to make sure no one had overheard their conversation.

"Stop being so paranoid you prude. Having a healthy sexual appetite is good for you. All you do is work. All work and no play makes Sakura a dull girl." Ino took a long drink from her water bottle before digging a cookie out of her one-hundred calorie Keebler Elf fudge striped snack package.

"I don't know which is worse; your nonchalance about the whole situation, or Naruto's hysteria." A slender pink eyebrow arched as Ino proceeded to choke on the cookie she was chewing. Bright blue eyes watered as tanned arms flailed about before grabbing the bottled water on the table and taking a large gulp.

"Finished?"

"What the hell?! You're the doctor here, I was about to die there!" Ino declared loudly glaring at her companion.

"You weren't dying pecker-checker. You didn't even do the globally recognized gesture to signify you were choking." Sakura replied flippantly as she finished off the apple she'd been devouring.

"Tch, whatever. How could you even compare me to that annoying, loud, obnoxious blonde idiot?!" Ino demanded in a huff, slamming her palm against the arm of her chair.

"You realize you just described yourself, right? How are you a psychiatrist again? Oh, right. You analyze others because you can't fix yourself and take your own advice." Sakura laughed raising a hand to her mouth and cutting her eyes to the right as if she'd just let out a big secret.

"This coming from the exhibitionist in denial." Ino replied tartly as she ignored the jabs at her profession; after all, she'd said worse to her pink haired friend.

"Really though, I wish I had been there. I can't believe that fool Naruto shouted at you and your mystery man in the club. We should go. You, Temari and I; Hinata and Tenten wouldn't be any fun since they're attached. Speaking of Hinata, we still have to find Panda performers or whatever for little Itsuki's birthday this weekend." Sakura groaned in exasperation; she'd completely forgotten about that.

"I forgot all about that. I don't know if going back to Akatsuki is such a good idea, though." Sakura muttered.

"C'mon, it'll be a girls' night out. Temari and I could definitely use a fun night, and maybe you'll get another!" Ino laughed as Sakura growled and flung the core of her eaten apple across the table at the blonde.

"Tsunade-sama likes you best; you are her protégé after all. Ask her to give the three of us the night same evening off."

"It's not like you don't get nights off any way." Sakura scoffed as the blonde flipped the end of her long pale ponytail over her shoulder after she finished inspecting the ends. Ino shrugged as she stood up; Sakura followed suit as they headed back inside the building, depositing their garbage on the way.

"I don't do blood and guts and broken bones like you two. I'm too pretty for it."

"More like too much of a prissy bitch." Sakura muttered as they headed separate directions.

"I heard that!" Ino called after her; Sakura laughed as she waved her hand at the blonde in dismissal and turned down a hallway.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Love you long time for reviews. Hoped you all liked the chapter. No idea when the next chapter will be out though!

Naruto's Ringtone – Mickey Avalon's 'My Dick' song that plays in Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. I just couldn't pass it up as Naruto's ringtone for Sakura… I dunno why though.


	2. inner animals

Author's note: I wonder if I'm going to be slaughtered for taking so long to update. Forgive me; I've been rather busy of late ! Hope the chapter is to your liking, please enjoy !

'_Italics'_ are flashbacks/Inner-Sakura's thoughts or persons on other end of phones, and lyrics (haha)

'_**Bold Italics'**_ are thoughts in flashbacks.

* * *

"Inner Animals"

'Where the hell are my interns?' Viridian eyes swept the surrounding area as Sakura moved swiftly down the hall, pink hair fluttering behind her.

"Oi, Sakura!" Sakura stopped cocking her head to the left as a tall sandy haired blonde clad in similar garb to her own descended the last few steps to the ground floor.

"Ah, Temari! Have you seen my interns? I'm beginning to think Tsunade-shishou really killed them," a thoughtful look crossed the rosette's face as she pondered such an event happening, "…not that it would be so bad for me." she added as an afterthought. Temari laughed as she slung an arm around the shorter girl's neck.

"Two were sent to the Pit, one's cleaning bedpans and the other is running labs. Of course, there's always the chance they could be getting it on in the On-Call room, too. Who knows. I'm much more interested in other things however, such as how last night went." The forest-eyed female flashed a roguish grin at Sakura who grimaced – that blonde bimbo of a best friend was going to get it – and decided to play the card of ignorance.

"Your cock tease of a brother and my imbecile of a best friend stood me up for over half the night. Honestly, wasting my only night off like that." Sakura replied casually running nimble fingers through long pink tresses to work out the slight knots in the unruly mass as a fleeting thought of scheduling a hair appointment crossed her mind.

"Oh? Is that all?" The sly tone indicated to Sakura that her nonchalance at last night's events had not thrown the taller female off the trail of what had really transpired; her assumption was proven correct when Temari continued to speak.

"A little canary happened to pass a wonderfully juicy little tidbit to me." The pinkette wanted nothing more than to wipe that shit-eating grin from her friend's face and a rather vivid image of sewing the woman's mouth shut was supplied from her Inner. On second thought, going right to the source of the problem sounded better. She rather enjoyed Temari's company.

"Which of the blue-eyed blonde children of the damned ran their big mouth so I know whose tongue to surgically remove?" She queried resuming her trek down the hallway with the Suna native falling into step beside her.

"Neither, actually. Gaara and I spoke this afternoon; he wanted to make sure you were all right, so of course I wanted to know what could possibly have happened for my socially inept brother to be worried for the wellbeing of someone other than himself and Naruto. He didn't say much, so I went straight to the source. I do want a detailed play by play from last night." Temari wiggled her brows suggestively as a lascivious grin formed on her lips.

"Gaara's more like a raccoon…" Sakura murmured arching a pink brow in thought as she contemplated the redhead's animal counterpart. Temari wasn't stupid by any means; it was obvious to her that Sakura was deliberately changing the subject; she'd play along for now if only to enhance the enjoyment she would acquire in reminding the woman later that she had not evaded the topic as she seemed to believe.

"Seriously? You're pondering the nature of my brother's inner creature?" the grin slipped from Temari's face to be replaced by one of incredulity, "Seriously?!"

"You started it, calling him a canary. You should have said 'a little tanuki', it would have been a rather cute mental image, and it fits him well enough. He's cute and cuddly looking, but has a prickly disposition. He's rather quick to attack when provoked, too." There was a long pause before Temari spoke again.

"Okay, for one, Gaara and cute don't go in the same sentence. Two, are you still drunk? Should I put you on a banana bag?" Sakura snorted; Gaara was very attractive; unfortunately, it seemed as if all the good-looking ones batted for the other team, much to the chagrin of the emerald-eyed beauty.

'_The one last night sure seemed to be all for playing in our field!_' Images rose unbidden in her mind's eye at Inner Sakura's declaration, causing a flush to stain her cheeks.

"Oh ho. What could little Sakura-chan be thinking about?" Sakura's attention was drawn back to her companion to find that stupid grin plastered on her face again; she glared.

"I'm perfectly sober! Last night is none of your business either!" The shrill beeping of her pager broke off the rest of her rant. Sakura sighed in relief, lifting the small black device to eye level.

"Gotta go, see ya!" She declared with a smile at successfully escaping without having to divulge last night's excursion.

"We'll talk later, Haruno!" Temari's voice flowed after her, amusement lacing the tone. Damn, she hadn't escaped scot-free after all.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Sakura spent the next several hours running around the hospital carrying out various tasks as chief resident and several more performing open-heart surgery with the head of Cardiology, Shiranui Shizune, whose husband, Genma, worked in Plastics. The petite raven-haired female was the first apprentice of Hidden Leaf's chief, Tsunade. She was like an older sister to Sakura, watching over her and making sure that she remained healthy under the rigorous tutelage of the busty blonde hospital head. The soothing voice of Shizune drew her from reminiscing.

"Very good Sakura, you closed up the heart beautifully." Emerald rose to meet ebony, a fond smile on Shizune's face encouraging her.

"Thank you, Shizune-neesan." Sakura found herself returning the smile and proceeded to close the open chest cavity, her hands steady, and each stitch made with deft precision.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Steam filled the shower stall, a light sheen of perspiration and fog decorating the textured glass door. Water poured in a thick stream from a trio of faucets lining the ceiling over the titian haired male below, the adjoining navy tiled walls both held an identical duo of faucets running perpendicular to the ones overhead; a steady jet of warm liquid flowing forth to rinse the man. A waterproof screen and keypad, situated just inside the stall for easy access, controlled the pressure and temperature of the water.

A large, lean hand pressed against the slick tile for support as the male's head lolled back and a groan was heard. Water ran in rivulets over the upturned face, wet locks clinging to equally damp skin, smooth lips parted, panting as slanted lids closed over exotically ringed eyes. Hips jerked with each pump made over firm heated flesh while memories replayed in vivid detail, spurring his action on.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

_She stood bare before him save for the low riding scarlet boy-cut panties with lace edging. _

"_Come to me, Tenshi." Her viridian eyes darkened with desire and she began to slink slowly towards him with all the grace of a feline stalking its prey – a surprising feat to accomplish in her rather inebriated state. He followed her movements with rapt attention as she approached, coming to a halt between his parted legs, close but still not touching. _

_Her pert breasts fell just below eye level, the perfect height for him to lean in to taste the creamy flesh. A rosy nipple topped the crown of each mound surrounded by a dusky pink areola. His gaze moved over the rest of the exposed ivory skin, stopping to study the thin horizontal scar just above her left hipbone. His hand rose to trace the pale pink tissue, the edge of his mouth quirking when she shuddered. Curious, his arm slipped behind her back to search for a matching scar. He wondered briefly on the history behind the mark, but did not dwell long on it as he pressed his palm to the small of her back, drawing her forward. _

_Slender fingers tangled in the wild locks of his hair as he took a hardened bud between his teeth, tugging the sensitive nub before lips enclosed around it and a tongue swirled over the tip teasingly. She pulled at the strands her fingers were woven into and curved her back to offer more of the supple flesh to the moist warmth of his mouth, a mewl of pleasure bubbling from her throat._

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Pein groaned as the sound echoed in his mind, thumb gliding over the head of his shaft followed by a quick squeeze and firm tug before he came, spilling onto his hand with a grunt. He stood beneath the pressurized water with closed eyes for several moments as the remains were rinsed from his body, exiting the shower soon after. He wrapped a fluffy white towel around his waist as he moved to stand before the _Linea Aqua_ double basin vanity. Two navy ceramic basins sat atop a tempered glass counter top, a stainless steel base supporting the solid hardwood cabinet and matching freestanding side storage shelf and cabinet. A simple, borderless rectangular mirror adorned the wall above the sinks; a two by four stained in the same rich color of the cabinets positioned just below the mirror. Resting atop the freestanding shelf and cabinet were several pieces of jewelry. The first item removed from the pile was a simple silver ring, a red gem centered in it with the kanji for 'zero' in it that he slipped on to the thumb of his right hand. From there he proceeded to attach the numerous facial piercings; ears, lip, and nose. The last to be put in place was a barbell that he placed through his left nipple and capped with a metal bead.

He moved to the entrance of the bathroom, pulling the heavy wooden door open with ease and stepped into his bedroom. Ringed eyes stared blankly at the now vacant bed, trailing slowly to the scattered sheets on the floor, then to the open doorway. He strode purposefully out of his room and peered over the edge to the flat below just as the door of his apartment shut. Long legs carried him swiftly down the stairs and to the entrance. He stepped out into the small lobby only to find it empty.

This was definitely a first for Rin'Negan Pein. He re-entered his apartment slightly annoyed, partly amused, highly surprised, and intrigued. He was not promiscuous by any means, the few women he brought home were on very rare occasions, and they did not leave his bed willingly. Those women were usually shallow gold-diggers, beauties on the outside with no substance on the inside, and while he hardly cared to have a woman that he could connect to on an emotional level, he wanted one that was not after his name and his money, and caught his interest both physically and intellectually. He had a thing for uniquely featured natural beauties and those were quite hard to find. Pein wondered if perhaps she had not known who he was, as impossible as it seemed. He scoffed lightly at the notion that anyone could possibly not know who he was as he owned at least a third of the city.

He pulled the towel from his waist and set about getting dressed, he did have business to attend, throwing a brief glance at the clock by the bed – yes, business to attend and he was late. He tossed the rumpled blankets onto the unmade bed and glanced up as red flashed in his peripheral.

Red.

Red panties to be exact.

The corner of his mouth tilted up in an amused smirk as he moved towards the tall floor lamp to retrieve the garment. She'd left without any underwear on. A deep chuckle escaped him as he tossed the skimpy piece of cloth onto the bed and left the room. A woman had been in such a hurry to escape him that she'd run out without her panties. Either she did not remember the events that occurred the previous night, she was married, – though that hardly stopped any others – she did not know who he was, or she just did not care about his status. He was going to have to find her. Lucky for him, he knew of the loud blonde that had shouted her name in the club. Uzumaki Naruto was best friends with one of his closest friend's younger brother. His mind made up, he left the apartment to meet up with Uchiha Madara.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Uzumaki Naruto sneezed; a loud, obnoxious, embarrassing sneeze, one that seemed to shout to the world that his personality was just the same, but he was oblivious to the murmurs and looks of disapproval sent his way as he rubbed at his nose.

"Must you always make a scene when you're in public?" The blonde scowled at his ebony haired companion whose hair stuck up in the back closely resembling that of a chicken's ass. The thought made the scowl falter shortly before he remembered the haughty tone his friend had used.

"Excuse me for sneezing without asking permission first, Teme." He replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes skyward. Uchiha Sasuke scoffed.

"Dobe, why are you here?" Onyx narrowed as the blonde shrugged.

"Just thought I'd come see what was up…" Onyx narrowed further at the tone; something was up.

"Spill." Naruto fidgeted, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Well you see… I kind of forgot what I was supposed to get for Itsuki's birthday and what time it was… and how old he's turning!" Sasuke was silent as he contemplated murder.

"Uh, Sasuke, you're turning blue…" He released the breath he'd been holding through his nose, teeth clenched.

"You have three seconds to get out of here before I kill you." Naruto didn't wait for the countdown to begin as he darted from the room.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Sleep. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep. She caught a strong whiff of blood and bleach and latex, and decided that maybe a shower was in order first. Luckily, she hadn't run into Temari after their initial meeting and was likely home free for the rest of the night. It was going on twelve a.m. and she had to be in at six in the morning for a double shift. She hailed a cab outside the hospital; there were always at least two, but usually she drove.

It took twenty minutes to arrive at her house, a charming one-story with a wraparound porch and swing, a cobblestone pathway and unattached garage. She paid the driver before hurrying up the path, quickly unlocking the door to enter the safety of her home. She removed her shoes with a sigh of relief and proceeded upstairs for a much needed shower and then bed. She showered quickly, wetting her hair and washing her body – she would take a more thorough one later in the morning. She slipped on an old t-shirt that had probably belonged to Naruto at one point before climbing into bed. Sakura was out before her head hit the pillow.


	3. costumes

Author's Note: Sasuke makes me want to run a railroad nail through my forehead.

'_Italics'_ are flashbacks/Inner-Sakura's thoughts or persons on other end of phones, and lyrics (haha)

'_**Bold Italics'**_ are thoughts in flashbacks and/or Inner-Sakura/Sakura speaking at once.

* * *

"Costumes"

The next two days passed quickly, though they felt unbearably long to the medic with the busy and chaotic hustle and bustle of the hospital. So when her blonde bombshell friend informed her with a look of superiority – one that said 'you owe me' - that the entertainment they'd been requested to provide for tomorrow was taken care of, Sakura had been grateful and decided against prodding the woman for details. She had completely forgotten about booking performers for her godson's birthday party.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

It was to Sakura's dismay that Temari was waiting with Ino when she exited the elevator on the lobby floor of Hidden Leaf and they dragged her to the nearest pub –amusingly dubbed Post Coitus – to eat, and of course, to have a few drinks. After their orders were placed and the waitress had gone to fetch their drinks, Temari fixed her gaze on the rosette expectantly. Sakura stared back, eyes feigning innocent curiosity; forest green narrowed dangerously at the pathetic attempt, but it was worth a try. Sakura sighed in defeat and resignation; she may as well get it over with as Ino had probably already told the older female all the juicy bits and they were just torturing her by making her relate it again for shits and giggles. Quite possibly it was the way of doctors to bask in the misery of others… Or maybe that was just in Temari's case… and Ino's. Perhaps it was just blondes who took joy from the torture of pure innocents such as herself… That had to be it, as Naruto was known to cause and partake in such acts - knowingly and unknowingly – frequently, and the same could be said of her boss.

'_What the hell are you on about? 'Pure innocents such as __yourself'__? You didn't get into any questionable substances at the hospital did you? We are in no way __Pure__ or __Innocent__; just ask Mr. I'm-Pierced-Everywhere-King-Hotness. Oh, wait. You ran like a coward and didn't get any information from him!'_ Sakura wisely chose to ignore the ranting of her inner-beast.

'_Hey! Don't igno-'. _Wonderful. That pillow was her new best friend. Sakura pulled from her thoughts and retold the story once more for Temari. The arrival of drinks brought a pause to the tale as Ino quickly downed the _Pink Flamingo_ placed before her while she and Temari took experimental sips to ensure they were made to their liking. The pigtailed female seemed satisfied with her _Double Take Sour, _and Sakura herself was content with the _Naked Pretzel_ she'd requested. She finished relating the events by the time the food arrived, but that didn't mean they weren't going to discuss it further while they ate.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"You ran away?" Temari cast a look at Ino before returning her incredulous gaze back to Sakura. The medic downed the last of the alcohol in her glass and bit the inside of her cheek in embarrassment.

"Well, what did you want me to do? I was late for work as it was." A snort sounded to her right; a scoff from the left.

"Pathetic. Forehead, you really are a loser." Emerald irises expanded around slit pupils as Sakura cast narrowed eyes on the leggy psychiatrist.

"I have to agree with the Boar. Obviously he wanted you to stay or you would have been booted out on your ass as soon as he was up. Considering he took a shower and allowed you to continue sleeping in his bed, in his rather expensive living quarters, means he wanted something more from you at least." Instincts told her she should begin planning her escape now; unfortunately, she was trapped between the two females and wouldn't be going anywhere lest she launch herself over the table and she was fairly certain that wouldn't go over well in any case. She needed more alcohol – now.

"I don't even know the guy! And you guys don't know him, either. Seriously, what if he had been expecting something – like payment! He was probably a man-whore and I saved myself some money." Determination set into her features as she spoke. When no response came from either of her companions she glanced right to left in curiosity at their silence. Ino's right hand hovered over her mouth, stifling laughter, her eyes shut tight as tears leaked from the corners of heavily shadowed lids. Sakura frowned and moved her gaze to Temari, who she found was staring dubiously at her with brows arced.

"You should stop hanging around Naruto." Temari supplied bleakly.

"Your brother is dating him!"

"That's beside the point; Gaara is immune to stupidity. It's why they work."

"I am not stupid. And Naruto's a better friend than you two could ever hope to be." An indignant sniff accompanied the statement as Sakura crossed her arms over her chest petulantly. Temari eyed her skeptically, resting an elbow on the tabletop and her cheek against her upturned palm as she lifted the glass of liqueur she was currently working on to her lips.

"Aren't you the least bit curious about him? I mean, he supposedly lives on the penthouse level of the Rin'Negan and he seemed to want to keep you around." A tiny red parasol was flicked across the table at Sakura courtesy of Ino.

"Can't we just drop it, it isn't like I will ever see him again anyway, and it is getting late." Forest green eyes rose to inspect the vibrant "Time to Buy Neon" clock hanging against the wooden paneled far back wall decorated with a variety of multicolored neon signs ranging from a yellow and scarlet guitar to a white and blue Snoopy and the classic "It's 5:00 Somewhere" quote. The big hand ticked to the next minute, bringing the time to ten forty-five P.M. Ino huffed in annoyance at having to leave early, and Temari grudgingly had to agree; however, there was a party they had to attend the following day, and it was to her chagrin that it was being held at Uchiha Sasuke's home. The only reason the asshole had any friends to invite to his firstborn's seventh birthday was because he had somehow managed to snag the sweetest woman alive as his wife and his best friends were Naruto and Sakura, and even their friendship often teetered on a fine line.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Temari stood along with her companions, threw a few Ryo on the table, and headed for the door with them. They separated at their respective vehicles and left the bar's parking lot.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Two sets of eyes, each pair varying with emotion, stared at the unkempt, grungy male before them as he held a clipboard out expectantly.

"You advertised that performers came with the costumes!" The blonde female's screech was met with a blank stare; obviously, the male did not realize he was seconds away from being ripped apart by the woman.

"Clearly, they don't."

"Clearly, I'm not signing that damned form, then!" A throat cleared to the left of the arguing duo, breaking the stare/glare down that was happening.

"Just sign it, Yamanaka. We can't do anything about it now, the party's already started." Sky blue eyes narrowed darkly at the pigtailed blonde.

"Fine." Ino snatched the pen and clipboard from the man, signed quickly, and shoved it roughly into his chest.

"Here's your copy. Remember to have them back by Monday." The irate psychiatrist ignored the proffered receipt as she hefted one of the two large boxes up and stomped into the house. Temari sighed at the temperamental blonde and moved to take the slip of paper and second box without a word to the man.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Sakura blinked owlishly as a rather large box was dropped unceremoniously on the floor before her. Viridian rose to meet irritated blue.

"Presents are usually wrapped. And it's not my birthday, it's Itsuki's."

"I know that! These are the panda costumes." Ino huffed in annoyance as she sank to the hardwood floor across from the rosette. Sakura's gaze slipped back to the box before returning to the blonde questioningly. The door to the room slipped open and shut as Temari entered carrying another box.

"Are they midgets? That's somewhat cruel… Stuffing them into a box and all…" Temari snorted; Ino glared.

"No! They didn't come with performers at all. What the hell are we supposed to do now? I'm not going to be the one that tells Sasuke, he's enough of a dick as it is." Sakura frowned at the comment and opened her mouth to defend her friend when Ino cut her off before she could start.

"I know! You two can wear them!" Sakura launched to her feet in a flash, bracing herself against the box, arm extended forward, and finger thrust in Ino's face.

"Hell no, Pig! You have to wear one if we do. This is your fault anyway." Nostrils flared to points at the accusation.

"Excuse me? It was partly your responsibility, too. Don't just throw the blame on me."

"Why would I wear one? This isn't my screw up. Uchiha-douche knows better than to tell me to do anything." Ino eyed the other blonde and smirked.

"Simply because you're in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Alright, but we're settling this my way then.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Two sets of green and one pair of blue eyes stared determinedly at one another across the first brown cardboard box waiting for the signal to begin.

"Ready?" Two curt nods in response. _'Shannaro! Let's win this shit!'_

"GO!" Each woman chanted in unison as her fist moved away from her palm and back down.

"Rock. Paper. Scissors!" At the last word, the hands shifted to form one of the three acceptable symbols for the game.

"Hah! Owned. Scissors cuts paper. You two lose." Ino and Sakura glared at Temari who grinned triumphantly at them. Ino grumbled something about cheaters under her breath while Sakura, resigned to the fact that she lost, proceeded to open the box in front of her.

"Damnit, these better be clean." Sakura's eyes rolled at her friend's comment as she bent the flaps of the box over the sides and peered inside. Reaching in to grasp the fluffy material, Sakura caught a whiff of sweat and cheap cologne mixed with Febreeze and scrunched her nose up in disgust at the smell. _'We aren't actually going to wear that are we? It smells gross! Who knows what's been done inside of it!'_ Sakura chose to ignore her inner – she didn't really have much of a choice in the matter at this point.

"Sasuke is so going to owe us…" _'Hell yes he is. This sure as hell isn't what I want to be doing on Saturday!' _Ino made a noise of agreement as she examines one of the two Panda heads that completed the suits. She sniffed at it experimentally before jerking back, her face contorted in revulsion.

"Gods, if the inside smells as bad as the outside I think I'll be sick." Ino craned her head in Temari's direction and stared the taller female down.

"No one is to find out I'm wearing this, got that? If anyone asks where I went, make something up!" Temari scoffed derisively.

"I'm not that cruel, jeeze. Your secret is safe with me. I'd let Hinata and Sasuke know though." Ino groaned in defeat.

"Fine… but no one else, alright?"

"Right."

"Well… Let's get these on then. I'm sure Sasuke's ready to have one of his tantrums." Temari moved forward to help the two women into their outfits.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"So you'll tell Sasuke and Hinata what's going on and just them right? Man, I hope I'm not missing out on any hot guys for this." Temari pulled on the girl's long platinum ponytail before tucking it into the suit and zipping it up. Ino hissed at the stinging pain, her hand rising to rest at the base of her ponytail.

"I know, so shut up Yamanaka, and get out there and entertain the little kiddies." Sakura's laughter filled the room at the expressions on the two blondes' faces.

"Aw, don't you two just look adorable in your little panda costumes?" Ino growled and turned to yell angrily at the Suna native just as a brilliant light flashed and the sound of bubbles filled the room. Only a second passed before what had occurred registered in the psychiatrist's brain and a screech of horror filled the room.

"TEMARI! You better delete that picture right now!" Said female swiftly made her exit from the room, her laughter echoing down the hall.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Temari was just exiting the house into the backyard when a soft voice called her name from the right. She turned to face a petite woman with pale silver eyes and skin to match with long violet blue locks pulled into a loose braid that fell over her left shoulder. Temari smiled politely at Uchiha Hinata as she came to a stop just before the other woman at the edge of the cement patio.

"Temari-san, have you seen Ino-san and Sakura-san? They were here earlier, but now I cannot seem to locate either of them…" The eldest Hyuuga daughter was kind and polite, and just too adorable to be married to the youngest asshole Uchiha in Temari's opinion, but the brunette found good in places Temari would never even think to look.

"About that… Apparently the place Ino booked the Panda Performers from doesn't exactly provide the performers, just the costumes, so she and Sakura are going to be the entertainment for the rug-rats today." The sandy haired doctor grinned at the other women as her eyes widened.

"Th-they don't have to do that!"

"Oh, let them, Yamanaka was just bursting with joy at the opportunity to do this, really. Let them have their fun. Now, where can I get a drink?" Temari's polite smile morphed into a mischievous grin as she wrapped an arm around Hinata's shoulder and steered her towards the long refreshment table to the left.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"I'm going to KILL her! I swear if she shows anyone that picture… !" Sakura rolled her eyes for the second time that day at her best friend's idle threat and pulled at the cuffs of the costume she wore. It was itchy and uncomfortable, smelled no better on the inside than it had on the outside and it was too large, she was going to end up tripping over the extra material in the footing.

"Let's just get this over with. We'll just stay out there in it for a few hours then come back in and take it off."

"Fine… let's go then." They stared silently at one another; Sakura's eyebrow twitched as Ino bit the inside of her cheek. They burst into laughter simultaneously; the blonde releasing snorts and huffs as she cackled while the pinkette doubled over in her silent chortles.

"Oh… You!.. Haha… You look ridiculous!" Snorts accompanied the exclamation. Sakura straightened and wiped at the tears that pooled in the corners of her eyes.

"You don't look any better. No wonder 'Mari took a picture. Wow." Sakura leaned over to retrieve the head that completed the panda.

"You think we should go out the sliding-glass doors, or out the front and around the house to the outside entrance to the back?" Ino blinked at the question and shrugged, panda head tucked snuggly under her arm.

"I guess the front, it would be weird for two strangers dressed as pandas to come out of the house, wouldn't it?"

"My thoughts exactly." With that, the two friends exited the room and headed down the long hallway to the stairs. From there they made their way to the entrance of the house and out the door.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

The Uchiha's lived in a rich neighborhood; each house was at least two stories and the lawns were well kept and manicured – it was actually a bit of a contest between the families to see who had the best one.

Upon reaching the side entrance to the backyard, Ino slipped casually behind Sakura. Sakura paused with her hand on the handle of the wooden door and turned slightly to look at Ino.

"What exactly are we supposed to do to entertain these kids?"

"Erm… I dunno..."

"Damn." _'Hahaha! Epic fail. You two are so stupid.'_ Sakura growled internally at her other and shoved a mental fist into her mirror-images face.

"Well, er… I can juggle?"

"_**Juggle?**_" It was hard to decipher reactions and emotions when their expressions were hidden beneath giant panda masks, but Sakura was at least eighty percent sure Ino would have a look of indignation on her face at the incredulity in her tone.

"Yes. Juggle. Have fun figuring out what you're going to do!" With that, Ino pushed the gate open to the backyard and sauntered in – at least, she sauntered as well as a person in a costume too big could saunter.

Sakura watched as Ino walked away and frowned; what the hell was she going to do? _'Find Naruto-baka, he's good at thinking up childishly funny things.'_ And for once, Inner-Saku had supplied her with helpful information. Now all she had to do was find Naruto.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

To her relief, it didn't take long once she was in the nicely sized backyard to find the blonde next to the pool with his redheaded lover. Sakura made a beeline for the couple chatting, fortunately, alone with one another and not many were surrounding them – it appeared Lady Luck was on her side in this endeavor. Naruto's back was facing her, but she found Gaara's piercing gaze had zeroed in on her as soon as she began her approach. Sakura stopped beside the edge of the six foot deep pool and to the right of the now-silent couple who peered – one curiously and the other suspiciously – at her.

"Guys, it's Sakura." Naruto's eyes widened and Gaara's apprehensive gaze faded to a blank stare at the quiet admission. Now if Naruto could just keep his mouth sh –

"Saku –" If the man wasn't gay she would have kissed him; however, she could only silently thank him with a sigh of relief and the tenseness of her shoulders relaxing as Gaara brought his hand up to silence the loud blonde.

"I do not think she wishes for others to know that she is parading around as a panda, hence why she whispered." Naruto grinned sheepishly and ran a hand through his unruly locks as the redhead let his arm drop to his side once more.

"Right, sorry!" The cerulean-eyed male stared at her quietly for a split second before the question he had been ready to shout came back to him.

"Why are you wearing that?!" His eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind, "Teme didn't make you did he?!"

"No, Naruto. We just had a bit of a mix up and this is the solution. I need your help though. I have… no idea what to do to entertain these kids and I was wondering if you two could maybe come up with some ideas?..." The corner of Gaara's lip twitched upward as Naruto's eyes widened further.

A commotion to the left cut the blonde off before he could even respond as Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and his rather large dog, Akamaru, exited from the sliding doors into the backyard. Akamaru quickly trotted away from his owner, greeting everyone in his path as he made his way through the scattered groups. A light breeze picked up and the canine stopped to sniff the air as it swirled by and into his nostrils, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the cool wind. The beast's eyes popped open and narrowed as they zoned in on the costumed person standing beside the pool.

Sakura's eyes widened in horror as Akamaru took off at full speed towards her. It all happened quickly after that. Akamaru leapt and collided with her mid-air, his weight knocking her off balance and backward. Naruto shouted her name as both he and Gaara reached out in an attempt to grab her before she could hit the pool. The head of the panda outfit flew, but she couldn't be bothered with noting where it landed as she hit the water with a massive splash.

'_Well… this sucks.'_ Sakura couldn't agree more as she sank to the bottom of the pool. _'We should just stay down here.'_ Their agreement had to end somewhere, she mused, as she maneuvered her body so that her feet were parallel to the cement flooring and she launched herself towards the surface. She refused to meet any of the many stares fixed on her as she swam to the ladder to pull her drenched body from the warm liquid. She kept her gaze focused straight as she lifted herself one-step at a time to the pool's edge, but paused as a hand entered her vision. Curious, her eyes roved over the hand, up the length of a white clothed arm to the person's face.

Emerald orbs peered blankly into a dreadfully familiar visage; one covered in piercings, – _'Very attractive, and not at all gaudy, piercings.'_ – smooth lips curved into an inviting smirk, exotic ringed eyes set in slanted openings and brown hair so light in color it was orange. A squeak was the only sound that escaped her lips before her grip on the ladder's railings loosened and she fell back into the welcoming water.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Holy crap! It has totally been FOREVER and a DAY ! I'm so sorry it has been so long, but a crapload of things have happened in the last few months. I can't really say that my muse has died, it hasn't, I've just not had that much time and this chapter was kind of really hard for me to write… lol ! College started back up and I was recently diagnosed with Adult ADHD-Inattentive type. So, it's more like ADD, I just can't pay the f*** attention ! My ability to hyper-focus on things has been nipped in the bud – hence why I haven't been popping out any stories in the last few months.

Anyhow, I hope this pleases those of you that have been waiting, I tried to make it longer than the others, and I left it as a bit of a cliffy. The next chapter will be mostly from Pein's P.O.V. leading up to the current events and then a little further into them meeting up again !


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